Aid to young mothers

East Stroudsburg University is installing breast feeding, or “lactation stations,” on campus.

The Kemp library already has one installed, but they will now be available in buildings like Sci Tech because of the varied type of students ESU has on campus.

“The Washington Post” published an article in September of 2013 stating that “about 40 percent of college students are over the age of 25,” – making the typical college student not so typical anymore.

We see, more often than not, young adults between the ages of 18-25 having children while still attending school – myself included.

ESU has a childcare facility on campus which puts parents’ minds at ease because they know their children are only a minute or so away.

This also makes it very convenient for parents to visit their children while on their mid-class breaks.

A case like this is especially important if the baby is still being breastfed.

By having lactation stations on campus, ESU is making the life of a full-time student and full-time mother that much easier.

When I told my mother about ESU’s decision to install these stations, I remmber her saying “if students are in class, why would they have their babies on campus to the point where they would need these?”

I thought about this for a while and it took me back to a time last summer.

I had no choice but to bring my son to the library with me in order to register my car on campus.

If he had been breastfeeding at that time and he wanted to eat, what would I have done? I would’ve gone to the lactation station and fed him in the privacy of the booth without the glaring eyes of others making me feel as if I was being inappropriate.

The actions of ESU installing these stations give me hope that the view of the world of mothers in the workplace, or mothers going back to school, will eventually be a common thing and not overanalyzed or looked down upon.